Saved by Red and Gold
by ForensicGeek2
Summary: This is a series of multiple songfics, comencing with Remus' pov. Remus, a poor werewolf, gets the chance of a lifetime: he has been accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Will he let his past bring him down, or will he let himself be saved by a witch of red and gold? Unrequited Remus x Lily
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I am (obviously) not our beloved creator of the HP world, that is still our lovely Mrs. Rowling! Also this song belongs to The Rocket Summer and not myself! Brilliant band! Once again, I don't own anything and all rights go to them! Oh one last thing- I used a line from Beauty & the Beast… well, a variation of it. You'll know it when you see it.

**Hey! I've had this idea for a while, and here it is! Much editing and reviewing has been done, but if you see anything please let me know! I'm new to ff, so any help is much obliged. This is my very first fanfiction,so please give your honest opinion on everything from title to summary to actual story. I'd love to hear your ideas and I'll try to answer any questions. Constructive criticism and not just how much you hate it please! I take requests/prompts too (first reviewer can tell me what they'd like to see next and I'll do my best)! Thanks a ton! Now without further ado, the story!**

Prompt: write a story about someone needing to be saved (rhetorically or literary)

Song: Save by The Rocket Summer

Ship: Unrequited Remus x Lily

The hugs. The cheek kisses. The comforting hands that always somehow found his shoulder. None of it was actually felt. Of course he knew it was there and could acknowledge it, but Remus Lupin couldn't really feel the support. The hands felt more like ghosts, flitting from arms to shoulders to cheeks- everywhere and yet not there at all. He knew what was going on, but in reality he couldn't feel it. Remus was just a boy after all, when the incident happened, but he clearly remembered not being able to feel it at all. Everyone sympathised with him- everyone except one.

His father couldn't even hold five-year old Remus' hand- and Remus could remember the hurt that had flooded through him that day. Why wouldn't Daddy look at him? Why wouldn't Daddy hug him? Why wouldn't Daddy tell him that everything would be okay? Looking back, Remus realised it was because it wouldn't be okay. And never again had he truly felt when anyone touched him. No emotion, no comfort or support- he couldn't even feel the warmth that accompanied every human flesh. He felt a ghost of pressure, but that was all he could ever feel.

When Remus was younger, he had made all sorts of plans. To start, like any other little boy who didn't know the magical world as well as the muggle world, Remus dreamed of being a police office. Then a fire-fighter. Then an auror. Then a detective. Then a Quiditch player. Then a doctor. As Remus was more and more introduced to the Wizarding World, he learnt that the world knew a monster in any form, whether it be an eight year old child or a dementor from Azkaban. His hatred only grew for this world, for it had shut it's doors to him before giving him a chance. When Remus turned ten, he decided that he could never be anything, because who would want a werewolf working for them? Very bad for business. And so ten year old Remus resigned himself to a world not of hate but of self-loathing.

One day, Remus received a letter from someplace called Hogwarts telling him that special efforts were being made so he could attend. Remus thought that they must have been confused, because eleven year Remus knew they wouldn't want a werewolf. He could never enjoy himself at such a place, that much he knew, and they would regret taking him in after a month. After all, how could that place be good if upon reading the letter his dear mother began to cry? No- this place must be terrible. But Remus' father sat him down and explained that Remus needed this opportunity if he was to make money in his future. But Remus didn't understand- he knew even if he could make any money, it wouldn't be much. After all- a werewolf shouldn't even have a job.

The last thing Remus had wanted to do was go to that school, but his parents would not be swayed on the matter. Their child needed this, and they were eternally grateful to the Headmaster for giving their child this opportunity and would make the most of it. Remus would later admit it was a blessing- even if his eleven year old self couldn't see it. Yet what had truly made him go to this school without much of a fight, was that soon after receiving the letter, his mother passed. His mother, Hope Lupin, had been a Ravenclaw. His beautiful, smart, kind, compassionate mother had been there, and Remus could imagine himself growing to be like his mother in the halls of this magical school. He could make his father proud, and make his mother smile from wherever she was. Even though he was a werewolf...

As loving teary eyed parents waved goodbye to their privileged children, Remus made his way through the crowds to the train. He planned to board early, so his presence wouldn't be forced upon any of his future peers. He was the only one there who didn't have his parents (or rather, parent) by their side, gazing proudly as their child boarded a train to take them to a special school. Remus' father hadn't come in with him. He never told Remus why, but it didn't take a genius to realise his father didn't want to give the Headmaster an opportunity to refuse him. There was love everywhere, and none of it would ever- could ever- be directed for him. He took the opportunity to watch them- and he imagined the smiling woman with blonde hair and the man with messy black hair was smiling and waving at him. He imagined that the older couple nearby were his grandparents who had come to support him in any way they could. The little girl running to give someone an owl through the window was actually his younger sister. They all passed by him without a second glance, but that was okay by Remus because -even if it was just a moment of imagination- he felt content.

A tall, dark-haired, sinister looking man jostled Remus and sneered as Remus got up from the ground. There was a small boy following the man who looked at Remus in shock- not that Remus would know as his eyes were glued firmly to the ground.

"Watch where you're going!" The man exclaimed haughtily.

"You were the one who knocked into him, Father." The gangly boy responded...definately? Honestly? Either way, it seemed suicidally. The tall man drew himself up with rage covering his hideous features.

"Why how dare you?" The man began.

"Sorry Sir!" Remus piped up. He spared a hurried glance at who appeared to be the man's son, before hastily boarding the train. Once he reached an empty compartment, he sunk down gratefully, and basked in the ugly silence that had accompanied the closed door compartment. He leant forwards, resting his brow upon his interlocked fingers. Remus knew everyone had someone, and that's what he wanted. Sure that father-and-son duo didn't seem to see eye to eye, but at least the boy had someone there for him. The sound of the train emitting a high pitched whistle interrupted his thoughts, and Remus resigned himself to looking out the window to pass the time.

How selfish! How awful! Remus Lupin didn't know too much yet, but he knew he shouldn't be dreaming about a family when he had his own. After all, his parents could have thrown him out of the house once he became a werewolf. They hadn't and he was most grateful, these people who still let a monster sleep in the same house as them must be saints. But he still felt that he wasn't loved as he had read little boys were supposed to be. His mother (when alive) had never made him and his friends chocolate chip cookies- he didn't even have friends! His father had never taken his son fishing or played catch in the backyard like a father was supposed to do. He knew he shouldn't complain but Remus still wanted what he could never have. Love. After all- who would ever learn to love a werewolf?

Remus sighed quietly, shifting ever so slightly, the compartment seat groaning in protest. He had tried so hard to make the best of this situation, but to no avail. He was so scared that he'd hurt someone...kill them... or worse- infect them. He knew he couldn't live with himself if that ever happened.

Remus Lupin filled the silence that accompanied him with plans. Foolish plans- more like unrealistic daydreams, but if he was already pretending he could at least pretend he was pretending plans. He filled his head with thought of other little boys his age asking to partner in Potions class, or for homework help, or his professors calling on him in class. As he was "planning" already, he might as well plan to answer the question right. A noise startled him out of his daydream… but this noise felt like a daydream itself: it was the sound of the compartment door opening. The compartment door slid open with a resounding click and the boy from the station popped his head in.

"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the empty seat across from me. This moment would be the first of many that happened during Remus' time at school, however right now it was foreign to him. That moment was a moment of surprised joy. So he took a deep, shaking breath, and his next words would plunge him into a world of family, trust, betrayal, brotherhood, friendship and love. And those words (along with a slight smile) were: "Not at all."

Every time he thought of it, Remus' father reminded him not to get too close to people. After all, a werewolf can only pretend to be normal for so long… But right now, Remus just wanted everything that this new world had to offer. And maybe it had to offer friendship. Even if it meant this new boy learning his secret and Remus losing his friendship, Remus would risk it. Because what's life without a little risk? He would never admit to his father that he thought that, but these feelings of hope had accrued deep inside him, and dare he say he was happy to finally have a chance? But there was so much wrong with this situation- this (probably pureblood) rich boy wouldn't -couldn't- be friends with a poor, half blood werewolf! And yet did it make Remus a bad person for wanting to feel happiness anyways?

Remus took a deep breath as the boy happily smiled and sat down across from him, the compartment door closing behind him.

"Sirius Black!" The boy introduced himself, hand extended.

"Pleasure." Remus said, taking the boy's hand in his own.

"Remus. Remus Lupin." The boy had silky black hair and piercing grey eyes. Could he actually do it? Could Remus Lupin actually be friends with this boy? No! He chastised himself. I'm putting him in danger just by being here. But maybe, Remus could pretend...

"Oi! Get out of here!" A boy said, after popping open the compartment door. He had impossibly messy hair, and a thin frame.

"Excuse me?" Sirius asked, raising a thin black eyebrow.

"You heard me- get out! This is my compartment! I just left momentarily to find the food trolley!" Sirius looked to Remus to confirm this, but his throat felt dry. He shook my head slightly and Sirius opened his mouth to tell the boy off, but Remus spoke up.

"I'm-I'm sorry, but I've been here since before the train left and you weren't here. You're more than welcome to join us though?" he blurted out as quickly as he could.

"Join you? I think not." he said with a sniff, muttering to himself, leaving the two boys back to their previous conversation about the Hogwarts Houses.

"Gryffindor!" A collective gasp rang from the hall as the hat was removed from atop a pile of raven locks. The boy stood up proudly and made his way towards the table, the applause second only to the whispers that echoed throughout the halls.

"A Black! In Gryffindor?"

"Impossible!"

"There must be some mistake!"

Remus turned to the boy next to him. He had dark raven hair which his fingers nervously flitted through every few minutes, making it impossibly messy. He had glasses that were slightly too big for his pointed face, and chestnut brown eyes. He recognized him to be the boy who had rudely demande them to leave their own compartment, his arrogant smirk still hadn't left.

"What's wrong with having a Black in Gryffindor?" Remus tentatively asked the boy.

"'What's wrong?' WHAT'S WRONG? I'll tell you what's wrong!" he declared loudly. With several resounding sighs and inaudible eye rolls, everyone knew that it would be better to just wait this out.

"What's wrong with this is-"

"There's nothing wrong with this. It's actually quite great. The Black family has been known for always being in Slytherin house and practicing very dark magic. It's a refreshing change, as most of the family has gone quite mental from the inbreeding." A redheaded female to his left said. He smiled appreciatively at her while the boy scowled at her. She ignored him and raised a hand to Remus.

"Lily Evans." This girl had beautiful emerald eyes and her hair was quite the colour.

"I'm Remus Lupin." She gave him a brilliant smile and tucked a loose strand of auburn behind her ear.

"And I'm James. James Potter. My dad's Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic!" the boy with glasses butted in. Lily rolled her remarkable eyes at the boy and turned back to the front of the room to await sorting.

"Great." I echoed her previous words. His family? All of them evil wizards and yet this boy who had smiled and chit chat idly and kindly had sat with him throughout the duration of his train ride was part of said family?

"Aubrey, Bertram?" Without much debate, the Hat decided that this boy would be a successful Ravenclaw.

"Bones, Edgar?" The Professors strong voice rang out. A small boy shuffled forward with brown hair and a nervous, albite excited smile.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat declared to the school. There was polite applause from the school, many other first years lost in thought.

"Pettigrew, Peter?" A long, pregnant silence came from the sorting stool. Remus hoped he wouldn't be as hard to sort.

"Gryffindor!"

"Lupin, Remus?"

'Hmmm' the hat's thoughts echoed in Remus' mind. 'where to put you. You have talent, oh yes. And so much intelligence! You could be a brilliant Ravenclaw, no doubt about that. But I see a thirst inside you, Remus. A burning fire to prove that you are worthy of you magic, even with your...furry little problem. So perhaps Slytherin?

Not Slytherin, 'eh? You could be great! You could prove to them. Show them all wrong, even your father? Ah well. Ravenclaw, you say? Yes- intelligent, and a drive to learn. But you are very brave Remus, the question is: are you brave enough? You defied your father, you came to a place where you were afraid to be, where your very existence could be rejected, you dared to dream... Yes Remus, I'd say you're very brave. I'd you say you could truly reach your potential as a...'

"Gryffindor!" The applause fell upon deaf ears as Remus stood up from his seat and walked on unsteady legs towards a table of smiling faces. Where the brave of heart dwel. Remus didn't feel brave. He had failed. He had been accepted to this school, but upon minutes of entering, he had failed his mother. He did his best not to to show his upset, and slunk onto the bench, ignoring his grinning housemates.

_Later that month..._

He wanted to surrender. This had been the worst full moon in so long, and he hurt so much. He wanted to give in; give in to the pain, give in to death, give in to the wolf, and just give in. So why hadn't he? The chaos that threatened to control his mind once a month had subsided dramatically, yet he still trembled in fear. He pulled the blankets that were wrapped around his hospital gown-clad body closer, blocking out the thoughts. He was struck with a sudden thought, just as he drifted into unconsciousness. For the first time in a long time, Remus didn't want to give up. If that meant not giving in, then that was fine, but he wouldn't give up. Not when so much was being risked for him to be here. He couldn't afford to give up now.

Remus walked slowly to his dorm. He was civil with his three other roommates, but he still liked to hide in the Library whenever he could; the more distance between himself and his roommates made it harder for them to discover his secret. Sirius and James had become quite close, and though only two weeks in, the pair had racked up eight detentions apiece. Those two were trouble, and Remus couldn't help but feel foolish in thinking that he and Sirius would be- could be- friends. Those trouble makers were currently watching him from between the astrology bookshelves, probably plotting a prank on him of some kind or another. Remus sighed quietly and began packing up his quills and ink, but left out one of his books. This essay had been particularly tricky, but Remus was determined to finish it. He read silently, and listened as the Gryffindor duo left the library. He stood up, stretching, and retrieved another couple books from the shelves. Upon returning, he noticed his table now help an extra set of quills, and a set of notes, as well as a certain redhaired female looking over them. When Remus sat down again, she smiled up at him.

"Hello Lily."

"Hello Remus. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all!" Remus had said, pleasantly suprised. Remus enjoyed his fellow bookworm's company, and the two had quite regularly begun to follow a schedule: eat breakfast together, go to classes, eat lunch, go to the library, classes, dinner, library and avoid the other Gryffindor boys.

He was quite hesitant to form any sort of relationship after what had happened with Sirius Black, but as time wore on, he found he couldn't deny the redhead's pleads for studying, or even just her requests for his company. Although he found he quite enjoyed Lily's presence, he was worried she would pick up that his 'visits to his very ill mother' were always on a full moon...she was, after all, quite brilliant. But if she knew anything, she never mentioned it.

_December (a couple months later)..._

Remus' curse hadn't made life for him easy- after his mother had died, his father made an even larger effort to avoid Remus. Throughout the past four months, his father hadn't responded to any of the twelve letters remus sent- not even the one asking if Remus could come home for Christmas that year. So that was how he found himself telling Lily a heartfelt goodbye and (with much eye rolling) promised to write every few days. Secretly, his heart warmed at Lily's demands, even though he played it off like every other eleven year old boy.

In a moment of bravery, he gave her a brief hug, and they parted ways for the next weeks. Remus was left feeling slightly dazed, because for the first time in six years, he had felt support from human contact. Their hug had told him that maybe he could be saved, maybe he could be happy? And maybe Lily could help him...even though his father wouldn't.

Remus felt an odd sense of loneliness, and he wondered if it was because deep down inside him, he yearned for reassurance- reassurance that some way down the road, there will exist a day when he could tell someone his secret and have them still there. When Lily had left, Remus found himself missing his friend; what a word! Friend- it was mutual caring and support.

But without his friend, the anger of the wolf proved worse than usual. Remus woke in the secluded Shrieking Shack, sore, tired, and bloody- oh so bloody. How could he assume that this would be better- because his last transformation hadn't been too bad, that most certainly did not mean this one would be better. Did it have anything to do with the fact that last time he had thought about how Lily would be waiting in the Library? He hadn't noticed, but that was the first time he had feelings for a girl like that.

_One week later..._

It was Christmas- the day after that full moon, and there was a hideous looking bird waiting impatiently at his bedside. He immediately recognized it to be Lily's- the bug eyed bird having been a topic of conversation on multiple occasions. He looked at the parcel the bird held, and accepted it, pleasantly surprised. He unwrapped the paper and smiled incredulously down at the small book 'the Tales of Beedle the Bard'. Remus didn't take much notice of his family owl missing, or that his father hadn't sent him anything, but he opened the book in wonder. A small note tumbled from between the pages, and he recognised his friends' familiar scrawl.

_Dear Remus,_

_Happy Christmas, Remus, and I hope this finds you well. I saw this book a while back in Florish and Blots and thought you'd like it- I most sincerely hope you do. Thank you so much for the Potions book- how'd you know that's what I had been thinking about buying myself?_

_Well, thank you so much, and I hope your mother's health is improving._

_Have a wonderful holiday!_

_Lily_

_Two weeks after end of break..._

Once the classes started up again, Remus found it harder and harder to ignore the whispers and rumors surrounding his returns to school after each full moon. Some muggleborns said he had some sort of cancer, some purebloods said he had a horrible curse that ate out his insides (obviously incurable), whilst others had their own thoughts on the matter. Others, perhaps, being his dormates…

"Hey Remus!" his plump companion said, one afternoon after a full moon.

"Hey Pete."

"Where were you?"

"I told you a few days ago- I went to visit my mother. She's sick and the Healers aren't sure what's wrong with her."

"Right! I think it was Sirius -or was it James?- who thought you went to a Quiditch match. I told them you'd never miss school for something like that, however he thought that's where you were." It hadn't been the first time Remus had heard outlandish hypotheses, yet this one still provided trouble in hiding his snort.

_Later that week..._

Remus felt oddly disconnected to the world sometimes, like he was just a spare screw hanging loose on one of his fathers muggle contraptions, whereas everyone else around him seemed to have a set path, a definite future laid out ahead of them. Remus couldn't even tell Peter (who would need a LOT of work) that he couldn't be an auror because they wouldn't train someone like him. Remus would drift aimlessly among the masses, merely existing in his own little personal bubble, however Lily wasn't going to hear any of that and insisted on getting herself (and him) involved in anything else that she could get two first years in.

Lily never understood why Remus insisted on avoiding the boys, but she never questioned him when he slid into the chair beside her, or hurried down the hall so they could take the long way around. However despite his attempts to avoid the boys, he still found himself laughing when all the Slytherins in the Great Hall had their hair dyed red or gold after losing to Gryffindor in a Quiditch match. The duo had become a trio, as Remus' third dorm mate joined in on the action.

Remus would feel awful to prank someone- like if he did have a muggle disease and teased someone about having a cold. Hypocrite. However, that didn't stop him leaving a slip of paper on James' bed (on his birthday), which held a charm that would charm ever portrait to speak backwards for an hour. If he was going to be at Hogwarts for the the next six years, he might as well be a small part of it...just maybe behind the scenes.

Once the charm proved to work beautifully, the boys (who- during a rant- Professor McGonagall had dubbed 'the Marauders') tried even harder to be near him. Joining him in the library, eating with him, cornering him in their dorms- and Remus was not pleased. He had no logical reason to tell them that he shouldn't be around them, but he tried constantly to find Lily. When with her, the 'Marauders' never bothered him. He suspected that Lily had told them off whilst they had been following Remus, so now they always left him to be when with her...of course class was a different story. They charmed airplanes to send notes to him, and were unfazed when he asked them to stop. It warmed his heart (if you could say that a beast had a heart), but he still avoided the boys as much as possible.

_The full moon of February..._

One night, as he was leaving for the Shrieking Shack, the boys cornered him, asking his thoughts on the exploding turkeys they had charmed at dinner. Panicked, Remus tried to leave. Yet when Peter caught his arm and wouldn't let go, Remus nearly lost it. He was in so much pain, yet he still had just over an hour until the full moon.

"Madam Pomfrey." He had managed to croak before collapsing on the floor, unconscious. Remus woke soon after, only to have the worried face of Lily Evans parallel to his own, inches away.

"Agh!" He exclaimed, and years later, when telling her son all about her, he always remembered the pain which he experienced when he had sat upright, suddenly smashing his forehead against hers.

"Miss Evans! Please don't antagonize my patients! Oh my! Said patient must be going! Now!" The shrill voice of Remus' hospital ward shrieked.

"Of course!" Remus said, jumping up.

"Sorry about that Lily. I must go- my mum can't stay up too long and should be up now!" Remus would look back and think that maybe he should've been in Slytherin, his lies racking up faster than the Marauders could get detentions! Remus ran out of that room that night, still feeling guilty and upset at the look of disappointment on her face, and the wolf decided that taking out the anger on Remus was the best choice of action. Besides the scratches and scars years later, the only indication of the creature in torment was the screams of agony throughout the night.

_March 10th (Remus' Birthday)_

Remus spent the majority of his birthday in the library, reading, as he had chosen not to mention his birthday. That's why he was most surprised when Lily, his dorm mates , and a few other Gryffindors arrived at his table, attempting a wizard rendition of the song 'happy birthday'. Lily carried a monstrous chocolate cake, and that was the day Remus decided that his favourite food in the world was chocolate. The confetti that rained overhead sparkled red and gold- and Remus decided that maybe he had been broken, but in the end, he had been saved by red and gold. And watching the flush on his red headed companions cheeks, accompanied by the tie, he knew he didn't mean the confetti.

**Author's Note: Me again! See that little button down there? It says review? This is my first ever ff, so please don't be too harsh, but I want the gritty, honest, painful truth. You liked it? Loved it? What did I do that you enjoyed so much? You hated it with a burning passion? Think it's a waste of space on such a great site? What do you feel I can improve on (overall or in this story specifically)? If you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't fix it. Thank you so much for reading 'till the end. It means the world to me! If enough people are interested, I could do this story in several other p.o.v's: Sirius, James, Peter, Lily (?), etc. Or I could use other songs and do Remus from year 1-7? Let me know! Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing that piece! ;)**

**Thanks to:**

**Kaloge11, Da duck mastah, PurebloodGirl, NeonDomino, El Reino, hufflepuffpower93, and several other others who have followed me/ PMed me, etc.**

**thanks again!**

**ForensicGeek2**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **The characters, settings, names- nothing in the Harry Potter universe belongs to me. Thanks for the reminder :P Anyways, all rights go to J K. Rowling. Based loosely off of the song 'Superheroes' by the Script. Also not mine…

**Sorry for the long wait... I had ****mass** **confusion posting this. Song suggested by my first reviewer (PurebloodGirl) so shout out to her! Offer still stands- first review to this chapter (or I guess next review) gets a shoutout and song suggestion. Character suggestions are always welcome, though I have some ideas of my own. I could go on and on now about why I'd love you to review, but you're here for the story- so here it is:**

Sirius Black hadn't always acted out and rebelled against his parents, in fact he sometimes still wondered if the pranks he did would disappoint his family...yet when he saw their shining faces around him, Sirius knew that the Marauders had become his family. The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black had watched their heir grow up with disgust and hatred, and had seen many different sides of the boy; they had sent him to his weakest and yet they never saw his strength.

He had always been a quiet boy, yet his years before Hogwarts were quite different. He saw his parents in a new light, and he learnt how thin blood really was.

The more he realised how sick and twisted the inbreeding had left his parents, the more he acted out. Unfortunately for Sirius, the more he acted out the more his parents punished him with unmentionable, dark curses. These were the types of curses that left scars everywhere but on his body. His heart had become void of thoughts of friendship and relationships, and had focused on what he could've done to be part of the family. Well, not this family, perhaps, but **a** family. He could feel what was left of his heart turn to stone each time his cousins sent unforgivables his way, or his parents just watched and laughed. No not stone- steel; he would not corrode or fade over time.

When he was nine, Sirius actually began to believe all the horrible things his parents had screamed at him: that he was dumb, that he would become nothing, that he was useless- the list went on. They didn't seem to think that mental punishment was enough- his parents would hit him, kick him, and slowly -but surely- turn him into the unfeeling Black hier they wanted. The unfeeling look in his eyes whenever they hurt him only encouraged them to try harder, and that left him with barely enough strength to cast a silencing charm. Yet he always would, because Sirius would never let those monsters hear his pitiful heart wrenching wails. Although he would never let them know how much it **really** hurt, he couldn't bring himself to want to hurt them back. The blood in his family had thinned considerably, but at the tender age of nine Sirius still held the ones who once loved him dear to his heart.

Sirius was a strong boy, and the day that he was to leave for Hogwarts he found out how strong he'd have to be; not for his parents' love or his family's approval, but to stay alive. The curses had gotten worse and worse as the months to his departure dwindled and he realized that he didn't know what he did to deserve them...of course that never made him wish to stop fighting against the pureblood supremacy beliefs.

_Summer after first year..._

When Sirius returned to Grimmauld place after his fantastic year at Hogwarts, he felt himself flashback to his year before school where his parents had horribly mistreated him. He missed his friends. He missed the Cloak and it's mischief. Heck- he even missed old Sluggie! He sat down heavily on his bed and leant forward, resting his chin upon his interlocked fingers, thinking back to his year. He had accomplished all his dreams- he made friends, he had gotten into Gryffindor, and he had escaped this horrible life for a year. Sirius shuddered at the mere memory of his childhood, and looked down dejectedly at his trunk. He knew he wouldn't bother unpacking- he had no reason to. He knew he wanted to grow up and do the right things in life, and he was determined to start at Hogwarts.

Sirius had spent his life bending and shaping to a proper Pureblood, and once he saw the flaws, he wanted to fix them. He may have been bullied and tormented and struggled to stay alive whilst with his parents, but his dorm-mates still called him their friend. They could have excluded him by his name, but they didn't. He cared deeply for the three other boys, and he knew he could face the summer (and millions more) if that meant he would go back and spend a year with them. So far the summer had been spent mostly in his room, waiting for the owls to return (hopefully with letters). The boys told him all about their adventures, and it turned out that Remus lived surprisingly close to (none other than) Lily Evans.

_One month into vacation..._

Sirius liked to consider himself a survivor, however, years later he knew that Remus was the true survivor. And fighter. And Marauder. In the months before the Potters death, Sirius had truly begun to suspect Remus, and for that he knew that he could never forgive himself- even if Remus did. The thoughts plagued him throughout his stint in Azkaban, and he would've cried had he known what the poor boy went through whilst at school. Remus was his brother, and at the tender age of almost-twelve he never would've considered that any of them could betrayed them all.

Sirius was stronger with his friends, and he knew that in less than a month he'd be back to school (probably in detention already) and he'd feel whole. He sometimes wished someone besides the Marauders would send him a letter- he loved them to bits, but he wished to receive news from someone new...kinda like how Remus got letters from Evans. But the letters they did send soon made him forget those thoughts as they were filled with absolutely devilish pranks they could pull this coming fall. Remus told him about a quaint little bookstore in a letter, and with it came a book full of Muggle prank ideas that he'd spike with magic. James talked about Quiditch and told him he was looking in the Potter Library for ways to turn the Slytherin's broomsticks into wonderful shades of gold and scarlet. Peter had sent Ice Mice (their personal favourite) and a letter about using the same spell from the treat on the Slytherins' food during the Halloween feast. In all, he knew his friends cared, and that made it all the easier to stand up to his parents idealistics.

The Marauders were his family, however he couldn't deny the possible madness that came with the Black family name. He couldn't count how many times since Remus' birthday (when he finally gave up avoiding them) that Remus would need to stop him before he did something too awful to an unsuspecting student. Sirius tried to convince himself that it was all in good fun, however he knew deep down that Remus had always swooped in just in time to save what little innocence and sanity Sirius still had. However, it had been Sirius who had come up with the idea of illegal animagi, so he felt the favor returned.

_Two weeks until school starts again..._

When Sirius saw the boys standing in a small group in Diagon Alley with their backs facing him, he couldn't help the audible sigh of relief. Remus's astounding sense of hearing was what gave him away, and the tawny haired boy turned to face Sirius. A large smile had appeared on the boy's face, and his other dorm-mates soon followed as their bookworm made his way towards Sirius. Finally….Sirius had his family back again.

_Sorting feast and the following weeks..._

Going back to Hogwarts was very easy for him, as though sliding onto your favourite broom. However, after two weeks back, Sirius began to notice something wrong with Remus. Why had the boy disappeared on them? Why did he tell them all these (dare he say) lies? Sirius knew he was in the dark about **something**, and planned to ask James. Unfortunately, the Potter heir knew nothing of Remus' disappearances...James went as far as telling him that, "Sweet Quaffles- enough! If you bug me about Remus one more time, not even Merlin could save you!".

Sirius didn't understand how the other boys didn't notice anything- couldn't they tell every time Remus got back he looked like he had been run over by an angry Hungarian Horntail? He just wanted to help Remus...be his friends 'knight in shining robes' to help him like he would've wanted someone to help him. Friends didn't keep secrets from each other- right?

_After the second full moon of year two (October)..._

Sirius began to channel his frustration about Remus' situation through pranks and (not that he told his friends) homework. He had tried everything he could, but no new knowledge came about Remus' symptoms. Sirius believed he was deathly ill with some kind of magical disease, not his mother, and was determined to figure out his mate's situation. However it was not during that research which lead to his answer, it was actually when he was reading 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' for homework that his solution actually crossed his mind. Could Remus (their loving, sweet, nerdy, bookworm) actually be a werewolf?

_November…_

Sirius had spent a fair amount of his months trying to study Remus. Nothing seemed different now, but then again, had he been a werewolf when he came to Hogwarts? Sirius just didn't know enough to know how close he may or may not be, but he knew he couldn't ask Remus straight forward. Pranking, classes, studies, Marauders, Lily, Library- Remus was a little mechanism on auto drive, not adapting in his activities. Sirius had been watching him especially close in the days before the full moon, and he could tell Remus was getting nervous at his close scrutiny; Remus didn't like being alone in the same room as Sirius, and went out of his way not to be alone with the Black heir. That was fine by Sirius- it meant he was on the right track about Remus hiding something from them...but for the life of him he couldn't understand why. Remus was normal every other day, he just had a...furry little problem. But Sirius was nothing if not determined, so he waited patiently and plotted how to broach the subject.

_December…_

That first cold, dreary weekend, Sirius sat crumpled in a heap on the cold floorboards absently fiddling with his wand. He hissed the air through his clenched teeth in annoyance as his wand sent sparks towards his books. He had done everything he could to help Remus, when in reality he had been trying impossibly hard to remain composed and focused. They had been partnered together for their Potions assignment and Sirius was quite pleased but he felt hurt when he saw Remus' frown whilst James was partnered with Lily. Sirius was just as good, if not better, at Potions than James- so why was Remus upset? Sirius was very insecure under his flamboyance and boisterous facade and when _Remus_ (one of his very best friends) would rather partner with _James_ than him he felt a little more broken inside. He couldn't even be first choice to his mate? Not that he begrudged James- the boys were brothers in all but blood, but those thoughts were replaced by a million others. Sirius didn't notice Remus come into the dorm, or walk across the room; he only noticed once Remus sat down dejectedly beside him.

"What's got your wand in a knot, mate?" Remus' soothing voice asked.

"Do you want to be my partner in the Potions project? Be honest." Sirius rushed, worried he'd lose his courage and not ask Remus what was on his mind if he waited.

"Of course Siri! Why wouldn't I?" Remus' head cocked to the side in confusion, and he leant forward to look past Sirius' dark curls and into his grey eyes.

"It's just...you seemed upset when you weren't with James…"He felt himself trail, his voice abnormally quiet.

"What? Don't tell him, but James is rubbish in Potions. Why would I want to be with him, he's too busy mooning over Lily to do any work?" Sirius did not miss the note of well-hidden bitterness, as he contemplated what Remus had told him. Sirius scoffed at his own stupidity- of course he must've just imagined that. Remus was much too nice to have favourites.

One day, during a one sided screaming match with Professor McGonagall about some prank (which Sirius was sure they hadn't pulled), Sirius noticed than Lily had been staring down particularly guilty. The Animagus had demanded to know who had charmed the suits of armor to sing Muggle Christmas songs, and Sirius suspected that their little redhead was behind it. It seemed that their Professor thought the boys had done it, and was looking for blood. Evans looked about to stand up and declare herself guilt, but Remus beat her to it.

"It was me Professor! I wanted to bring some Muggle culture to Hogwarts, as most Purebloods are unaware of the muggle traditions. It wasn't the others." Remus spoke up, gesturing to them.

"Mister Lupin?" Their teacher asked, as though questioning **who** he was. He nodded mutely.

While most people chuckled good-naturedly at the softening look on their teachers face, Sirius saw the surprised blush creep onto Lily's cheeks. Since he had so little love in his life with his family, Sirius had always wondered what it might feel like to have an inexplicable sense of attraction for someone, an attraction that would be more than just a tender curiosity. He had wanted more than just a stirring of the heart, and he felt right in his bones that Remus felt that attraction for Lily. That would explain everything: lying to cover up for the prank, the whole Potions incident- everything! But did that mean that Remus wasn't a werewolf? That he went on rendezvous with Evans all the time? The situation had simultaneously gotten clearer and more confusing.

_Christmas break…_

Sirius composed a list for himself that Christmas. It was a list of reasons why Remus might not want to tell them his secret (be it werewolf related or not).

_He might think we'd tell ol' Dumbles _

_He might think he'd get kicked out of Hogwarts if we let it slip_

_He might think we'd hate him_

_He might not be a werewolf at all…_

Sirius wanted to help Remus, because it broke his heart to see his best mate winching at everything and looking so weary day after day. It always seemed Remus spent the whole month regaining his strength and catching up (and exceeding) at all his work, before the full moon came and Remus couldn't leave the hospital wing...not that Sirius had gone to the hospital wing himself and found his friend sleeping in the last bed farthest from everyone else. But seeing his friend so weak only reminded him of when he had been so weak himself, and Sirius was determined to help Remus in some way shape or form.

_January…_

Sirius liked Lily Evans well enough- she seemed nice and was quite friendly to all but James (which always received a laugh), and very studious. What finally made him fully appreciate the redhead was Remus. He seemed so alone without the Marauders, because he wouldn't get too close to anyone else at all. But Evans was a different story- she wouldn't stand for Remus wallowing in his thoughts alone and would often interrupt them. Remus had obviously bristled during the first few months last year whenever she came over to be with him, but now? The pair were thick as thieves. She cared about him, and Sirius was immensely grateful that it was a Muggleborn who appreciated him. She knew that hardships of the Wizarding World and how anyone different could be treated in this society, and if she ever did learn Remus' secrets he knew to count on Evans to stay with the boy.

_First day of February..._

It was a beautiful day, so Sirius didn't mind walking. When the Marauders (minus Remus) reached the library after their Magical Creatures class, they marveled at how little time it had taken. Determination was something that made people do and say unusual things… but then again, so was brotherhood. As quick as they had come to the Library, finding what they were looking for was a different matter. James didn't know why Sirius hadn't done this before- but it made sense to try and find out about Remus' mysterious circumstances with all his friends. So he didn't say anything, and just got started.

After much toil, asking, and searching, he had finally found a selection of books which all seemed werewolf based. There wasn't much in the section the boys were in, but it was something and he knew they'd probably just use the Cloak to check out the Restricted Section later that evening.

Sirius read on and on about how hard the wolf inside was for Remus to control, and knew that Remus would have no memory of what happened except for the new scars every month. He had never seem Remus too angry, and when the boy (with the patience of a muggle saint) got perturbed, he knew to back off. However Peter didn't…

_Later that week…_

Remus still wasn't speaking to the boys after the incident with Peter. He had continually pressed his presence upon Remus so to see if their dorm-mate was indeed a werewolf, however Remus thought he was being pranked when Peter had continuously knocked over his ink pot and sat on still drying parchment. And so the tawny-haired boy spent his days in the Library with Lily Evans, who the boys knew well enough now not to bug.

_March..._

One day, Sirius just knew there was something wrong. So by the time Remus had slammed the door to their shared dorm and stomped his way through the winding stone path to his bed (the small part of the room which didn't look like it had been through a hurricane), the aristocratic boy was already waiting on an old wooden trunk. He had sensed Remus' growing anger and had stopped working, leaving various quills and books open strewn across his bed. He held one in his hand- a small contraption used to erase mistakes in ink (a gift from Remus which he called a magical eraser- whatever that was)- and had taken to rolling it back and forth across his ink smeared hands.

Sirius felt an understanding smile touch his face, as he watched the possible-werewolf's tornado of fury fly towards him. He wore his crinkled Gryffindor tie (obviously still dressed in his uniform) and hauled a tan satchel over his shoulder. Fists formed at his sides, hair refusing to flatten-and he looked incredibly annoyed. His body was tense and his face clearly said that all was not well.

"What's up?" he offered, that smile still playing on his lips. But that smile disappeared when the Marauder saw the splotty blotches that ran across ink stained cheeks.

In reply, he flung his bag off and whipped it at the dorm wall. It hit the nearest bed post on it's way with a smack and fell into a pile of wrappers (undoubtedly Peter's). He then sunk onto the ground -ignoring the bed- and stared into the ceiling. Frowning he said,

"I hate the Slytherins!" The boy sighed in response and eased off the bed and onto the ground beside his friend.

"What happened?" was foolishly asked.

"Malfoy, that's what!" he replied, clearly believing it to be the most obvious thing in the world. Rolling onto his side, the amber-eyed boy looked at Sirius. Sirius looked into his eyes, and saw his reflection; shoulder-length raven locks, grey eyes, sun-deprived skin that was masked by ink and faded handprints where his head had rested hopelessly.

"The headmaster called Minnie- she's furious. I don't what to do, I don't know why they believe **that** toerag over me….." he trailed off and was met by confused silence. Remus sighed, as though this was not what he wanted to be explaining on a Friday afternoon. They both rolled back onto their backs and faced the ceiling, one of the only thing he could rely on always being there.

"I was with Sluggie doing extra work and someone hexed his cauldron to explode all over him. I've detention for two weeks! Yet I didn't do it!" he confessed, almost as though having trouble wrapping his head around what had passed. His confession was met with a sigh, disappointed in him for not including the other boy (as Sirius secretly thought the boy had done the prank). Remus sighed, disappointed in having someone else disappointed in him.

At first he didn't reply, just looking out at the catastrophe in front of them. Many thoughts were going through his head, the most obvious was: why? Remus was always so calm and collected, and Sirius had learnt to appreciate that in the past year. Something he had said or done must have been awful, because Remus had obviously exploded.

"Oh Remus- what are we to do with you? I thought we were friends- and you don't exclude friends from pranks!"

Finally, Remus' surprised laughter broke the silence.

"I don't see what's so funny about that- do you know what that could mean for your future?" Sirius cried, mock baffled by his audacity.

"You can finally accept your rightful place as the brains behind us!"

Remus just sat there smiling, and Sirius knew that it was good for the boy to release some of his pent up frustration. The full moon was tomorrow night, and he knew that the boy had some terrible things to deal with.

"I'm telling you- I didn't do it!"

"Bollocks! I won't hear it- pranking is an art, not something to be ashamed of!" The boy preached his philosophy. He would help Remus, and distracting the boy was something he was more than happy to do.

_The day after the full moon during March… _

His eyelids fluttered, was he dreaming? Can he hear Sirius talking to him about the newest homework? Did he know they were all there? Sirius closed his eyes and waited for Remus to wake up. The Marauders and Lily had all come, yet after a short while the boys left with promises to return. Sirius, however left momentarily to use the loo- he wanted be there when the boy woke, however he _really_ needed to use the loo.

"Hey Lils," a voice whispered. Sirius had been just about to return to the room when he heard Remus speak. He peeked through the curtains just in time to see Lily look up, wiping tears from her eyes and give the patient a small smile.

"How do you feel Remus?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"I could be better," he replied, also trying to sound casual, but his voice was strained. Sirius often looked back and wondered if he did the right thing by not entering, but he knew that something in Remus' eyes had been so happy to have a moment alone with his friend.

"Do you know how long I'll be in the hospital for?" he heard Remus ask quietly.

"I don't know when you'll leave," the female voice replied hesitantly. The Marauder looked so tired in his unflattering hospital gown, his hair everywhere, potion bottles lay strewn about the room. Remus told them he had had been in a muggle car accident on the way back from visiting his mum, however it had finally proved Sirius' suspicions: Remus was a werewolf. Muggle cars don't leave bite marks- or at least he didn't think they did. Remus was a werewolf, and Sirius found himself not caring in the slightest. Remus would just be sick every now and then, and what kind of person would he be to not help a sick friend in his time of need?

"Oh Remus, I always thought Sirius would be the one who would get injured," Lily teased. He must have been remembering the many times Sirius had in fact been hurt, just too proud to go to the Hospital wing, because Remus smiled and chuckled lightly. That smile turned into a grimace and the werewolf held his side in pain. Remus looked like death-warmed over, not the fun, kind boy the Black heir had come to have thought of as a brother. But he knew deep down Remus would be okay, and they'd all help him. Evans sat in the chair beside the bed and held Remus' bandaged hand in her own. With that, Sirius crept from the depressing ward quietly, a small smile plastered on his features.

_One week later (now April)…_

Sirius lived a year a minute- Remus was getting released from the hospital and he was stuck in History. His head felt like a demolition site, and he couldn't concentrate on Binns as he droned on and on about some long lost law that nobody cared about. He laughed and talked and horsed around with James, but his mind kept going back to the boy in the Hospital wing and how he truly believed Remus fancied Lily Evans. However this complicated things, because in a letter over the Easter holidays (all but Remus and himself from the boys had returned home) James had confided in him telling him how he thought he may or may not fancy the redheaded bookworm. What could he do? The answer was nothing- but that didn't stop him from racing from the classroom to the secluded wing where Remus would be being released the moment a bell resounded, ending lessons for the day. Sirius decided then and there that now that he knew Remus was a werewolf, he'd do whatever he could to keep his brother alive. The last moon had been dreadful, and the Marauders decided that never again would they let anyone hurt Remus- not even himself. Now all they needed was a plan... and sweet Merlin he'd retire his title of being a Marauder if he couldn't think of something! They would save his brother- him, James, Peter and Lily all cared far too much about the boy to let him wither away. And though Sirius didn't know it, all the others had similar thoughts in mind and were determined that the'd all fight along side their brother who (they knew) would do the same for them.

**Author's Note: Hello! Sorry for the wait- I intended to update a few days ago but I didn't know how to add a new chapter. Tried to pick up the speed of my plot- please let me know your thoughts. Once again, my apologies for the tardiness. I will try my best to update on time next time (as I now know how to I don't have any excuses), and would like to thank several people:**

**PurebloodGirl (My first reviewer, favourite, PM, followed me, bounced ideas off of, etc.):**

**Thank you so much! Your review was heartwarming and I truly appreciate having someone to spit ideas out to and getting feedback. I loved the song suggestion, and wrote this for you. I didn't know who's pov, or what year to do, or if I should even do it so let's raise our wands for you! Thanks a ton- this update probably wouldn't have come had it not been for my first review ;) You kept me writing and it means a lot! My writing format was also kinda wonky, so thanks for the advice on fixing it!**

**TheShulesLovinPsycho:**

**Thank you for your review- I had a fair amount done but was feeling fairly stuck. Your review renewed my love for this so thanks a ton! I'll keep that in mind, and I hope you like this chappie too!**

**catspats31:**

**Thank you for your review. I'm new to ff and still figuring things out, so I appreciate you letting me know my problem so I could fix it. I'm working hard on this story so it means a lot.**

**Kaloge11:**

**Thanks a ton my dear- I'm glad you liked it. Stories can be heartfelt and have great dialogue and plot lines, but this is fanfiction. I do my very best to try and make the characters as believable and not OOC as I can. Thanks!**

**Da duck mastah:**

**I'm so pleased you liked my story, and appreciate the amount of grammar editing I've put in. I tend to think faster than I type, leaving my grammar a complete mess (but you already know that ;)). I've put a lot of work so thanks for acknowledging it. Don't worry, all will be revealed in good time. Thanks for the questions, as I will try to think about them and incorporate them into my work. This will be a MC (maybe 7-8 chappies), so I'm glad you think so.**

**El Reino:**

**Thank you for your PMs- I really appreciate your words of inspiration. Yes- your story did inspire me to join. When I read your work, it made me think about how much I enjoyed the clever twist and overall plot, and knew I'd like to motivate someone like you motivated me. I'm really grateful and would like to thank you so very much!**

**Wuestenkrieger:**

**Thanks for following this story- I'm really glad you liked it enough to want to keep up with this. I hope you liked this chappie, and expect one by the weekend (my time)! I'm doing my best to strive for weekly updates!**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, PMed, favourited, followed, and I apologize if I missed anyone. Untill next time!**

**-ForensicGeek2-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Not J K. Rowling. I don't own anything from the Harry Potter world. Nor do I own the song 'King and Lionheart' by Of Monsters and Men (which this is losely based off of).

I found Peter's POV to be very hard to write, so please tell me if it was okay or what I could do to make it better. Shorter than usual, but I hope you don't mind too much. My last chapter didn't get much tlc from my reviewers, so I waited a few days to post in case I got a few more reviews...I didn't. I try to post every Friday, but I intend to hold off for a few days if I get less reviews. Was it two that time? *cringes* Hopefully this gets more- remember: I finish Fridays. Regardless of if I post, I finish… I'm feeling really enthusiastic about my writing, so please review!

Peter had always loved being a Marauder. Gallivanting about the castle (and sneaking too!), pulling pranks on Slytherins of all years, and just creating general mayhem was what they all enjoyed. When he sat beside James at Gryffindor, that first September two years prior, he knew that that was someone who he could follow. Peter didn't like to be the center of attention, but he could tell this boy did...and maybe he and Peter might end up being friends. It turns out they were, and years later, Peter always regretted what had happened between them. Peter and Remus didn't partake in the pranks as much, but in September on the train during their third year, it was Peter who had thought that it would be great fun to charm the Ice Mice into actual mice. It was quite the moment for the two of them, to slam the door of the compartment effectively silencing the screams from the first years. It felt nice to have Remus laughing beside him, and the other two looking at them curiously. The boys had taken over the school with mayhem and chaos reigning supreme, but Peter felt he had a positive effect on the other boys- he was the one they went to if they wanted someone to confide in, or perhaps just to talk to. Peter looked back at that thought ironically, it was that confidentiality they had placed with him that had gotten the Potters killed in the first place.

However, that aside, Remus still never confided about his secret. They knew their friend had a secret, but he truly hoped that Remus knew they would always stick by him no matter what. They wouldn't abandon him, spill, or run. For, quite controversially, Peter wasn't cowardly or blubbering- he **was** brave, just he chose not to show it. The Sorting Hat had wanted to place Peter in Gryffindor; Peter had hopes to be a Hufflepuff like his mum- however he knew the Sorting Hat was never wrong. But maybe he was- for he didn't quite fit in with his 'friends'.Even though they accepted him into their group, that didn't mean he belonged there. Peter simply existed coherently beside them, despite telling himself how much they needed him there.

The boys had escaped most of their punishment up to then, but Minnie had it out for them, and an angry Gryffindor was not to be trifled with. However, a cornered lion was not something to be bothered either, as Sirius quite elegantly put it, and their third year was spent devising more pranks than usual.

Peter wondered if the Marauders would forget about him- Sirius was the reckless one, James was the funny one and Remus was the clever one. So where did that leave him? He wasn't quite content with being the loyal one to confide in, nor was he overly confident like the 'dynamic duo'. But the Marauders were together, through full moons, detentions, homework (or at least the others bugged Remus while he did his) and any trouble the boys could possibly get into. While most of the teachers reprimanded their behavior, it was usually with a barely hidden smile. None had the best home lives (Sirius' parents tortured him emotionally and with the Dark Arts, Remus' father couldn't look his son in the eyes, James' parents were much too busy with their jobs and the money and gifts they bestowed upon him did nothing to ease their absence), however even the portraits knew that Hogwarts was their real home and they were their real family members. The Marauders were truly family, though they were all eachother had, and that thought hurt as much as it made the portraits smile. Oh yes! And the little boy- Pier? Peter? That's it! He was there too!

The boys were almost certain that Remus was a werewolf- if his scars were anything to go by. Remus didn't deserve those monsters, those demons that plagued him with malcontent. He was strong to go through that every month - sweet Merlin was Remus strong-, however the howls of anguish always haunted him (worse than any ghost ever could). None of the boys ever slept those nights, and none of them ever mentioned their companions lack of sleep. But why was it that while Peter said he stayed up, he never huddled with the black haired duo and whispered into the night?

Peter wanted associates. He had acquaintances and friends, but neither needed him. He wanted respect from them, but that wasn't happening any time soon. Would it be better to have them, or no one? 'Them'? That's ridiculous- the Marauders were family...right?

The boys were the only real friends Peter had ever, but their relationship wasn't something to be taken lightly. He was cowardly more times than he'd like to admit, but they boys accepted his flaws. Either that or ignored them. Most seemed skeptical about their friendship- they just seemed too different! But soon, even their professors were aware of just how strong their bond was, and they felt it safe to give all boys detentions and no longer only one. However, sometimes after a particularly nasty prank, one would take all the blame. None of the Marauders ever noticed that Peter never did.

So much happened in their first month back, that by the time October had appeared, the boy were practically salivating at the mouth to go to Hogsmeade for the first time. They were so consumed with enjoyment those weekends, they didn't even notice Peter sneak away...

The other boys spent so much time trying to get to Hogsmeade whenever they could, once they stumbled across the secret passages that is. Peter spent a fantastic holiday with the Marauders, and it had been his favourite Christmas yet- not that the other Marauders did much different. The boys were his family, and he cared deeply for his roommates. Some went as far as to say he hero-worshiped them, but the Marauders all just laughed it off. After all, who was Peter to do differently?

December quickly turned into a somber affair, however the boys did their best to lighten the mood. Some attacks had happened during the holidays, and several Gryffindor faces were missing- they were taking residence beside certain tombstones. Dumbledore was very supportive of those students who had felt loss, and relieved them of classes, but that didn't do much. At least not for Peter, when he received a letter telling him of his sisters death and the date of the funeral. Peter didn't go, and his friends (who didn't even know he had a sister) couldn't comfort him. After all, who was Peter to suspect that had they known, they might have done differently? His parents believed it was his fault for being magical and his older sister being a muggle that she had been unable to stop the Death Eaters raiding possible wizarding homes, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that. Be that as it may, it was one more cut in the long list of wounds that Peter had sustained. His family was left behind, and that day when he received his letter was the day that a Slytherin fifth year boasted about Slytherin being the only house safe from attacks. It was also the day everything changed for Peter- the day he decided to never be helpless again. And he'd do whatever it took to make sure no one else he cared for ever got hurt...

_January 23rd…_

The boys studied hard that January- however it wasn't for school. Whenever they knew Remus would be at the Library with Lily, they brought out a book they had forgotten they had taken from the restricted section. It was one on animagi they had nicked in their first year. The boys only need to prove to Remus that they didn't care he was a werewolf...that is if he was. Then they could help him...

_Three weeks prior…_

Whilst James had been releasing and catching a snitch on his bed, and Sirius had been doing detention for his most recent prank, Peter had asked what had been (at the time) an irrelevant question:

"James? Would Remus hurt...say, a pygmy puff if we gave him one to keep him company during the full moon?" That question had sent their world spiralling into one of complex magic, as the conversation continued.

"Peter?"

"Yes?"

"You know that even in human form Remus doesn't like pygmy puffs."

"But that's it- the pygmy puff might distract him from hurting himself!"

"I think we'd need something bigger than a pygmy puff Pete."

"What about a cat?"

"You do realise wolves are canine right?"

"Oh-um- maybe a dog?"

"And where would we find a dog that acted like a human?"

"Maybe we don't need a dog that would act like a human! Maybe we need a human that looked like a dog!" That response was what made James pull out that old book and begin to browse, because maybe they could become humans that looked like animals. Once again, Peter never received any recognition...

_February 7th (the morning after the full moon)..._

"I guess I should pack my bags then." The poor teen said, looking up at the boys surrounding his hospital bed with unshed tears in his eyes. The boys had snuck past Madame Pomfrey with the cloak to visit him, and they hold him they knew everything about his sick mother. He couldn't even find the strength in himself to deny their claims.

To everyone's surprise, it was Peter who spoke first.

"Not in your life!" he had cried venomously.

"You're too good for this world- too good for us. We may not deserve to have a friend as smart, kind or caring as you, but that doesn't mean that we're just going to let you leave!

"Just because you have a furry little problem, that doesn't mean we're going to abandon you or tell anyone! We care about you Remus! Merlin even Binns likes you- and he doesn't care about anything but history!"

A small chuckle found the way onto the boys face, and Remus smiled up at Peter.

"Move away from the bed and let me at him." Sirius' voice being the second to speak- James and Sirius had yet to tell Remus their thoughts on his condition after it had been confirmed. The stunned Marauders stared at Sirius in shock. Peter looked to James to what to do, however when Sirius moved forward, both boys unconsciously took a step to block the Black heir from their werewolf. With a distinctly animalistic growl, Sirius launched himself at the space between the boys and jumped on Remus' bed. The poor boy flinched, his head down and pain written all over his features. None were expecting Sirius to fling himself at Remus and engulf the poor boy in the hospital bed in a monstrous hug which would've even hurt Peter. Remus let out a yelp of surprised pain and soon both boys had tears running down their faces.

"Remus, you're our brother. The one we go to when we need advice or help or just to talk to. You're also probably the only thing which has kept us from being suspended. You know that we love you, wolf and all!"

"Wolf and all?" a small voice hiccuped from inside of Sirius' gangly armed hug, and Peter noticed a few tears trickling down James' face as well.

"Of course!" Sirius reassured, and rocked the boy in his arms slightly while he cried slightly.

"Shhhh- it's okay. It's going to be okay." The younger boy soothed. Once he stopped crying, Remus slowly detangled his limbs from Sirius'.

"Thank you." He breathed quietly.

While Peter might not be the best at charms, or potions and he might not be brave or able to play Quidditch, his heart was in the right place. And for the Marauders, that was enough. If only it could have lasted...

_March first..._

Remus had been a very kind friend to Peter. They connected on a different level than Peter did with the other Marauders, and he didn't understand why. James was whom Peter had always wanted to be more like, Sirius was always the one whom Peter envied, but Remus? The shy, studious bookworm? When looking back, Peter knew it was because of the accumulation of lies and secrets that surrounded Remus- Peter was always one for secrets. He'd lie to his parents, he'd lie to his teachers, and (for certain things) he'd lie to his friends. It had come to him as a second nature. Remus' lies had ceased to appear drastically, however it was still what he told the other Gryffindors (or so it seemed). Unlike Remus, Peters falsifications began to accrue ridiculously when he became 'friends' with some Slytherins, however little Peter didn't notice- he was too consumed by his sense of injustice at how little he could do to help an oncoming war. The word friend wasn't one Peter liked to dwell on- it only made him regret his actions and when one was as closely associated with the Dark Arts as he was, it would not do to get cold feet. However it was what he thought they were, and worse it was what they thought he was to them. Couldn't they see that he had wanted to help them? That by being closely entwined with the enemy, Peter could do good? His plan backfired horribly when he became obsessed with the power he could possess, but when he was befriending those of power he intended to save his friends. He could be more than Wormtail, more than a Marauder- he could be a hero. He had originally wanted to function as a spy for the Order, but that plan quickly backfired when people started to suspect him as a spy. So he did. After all, who was Peter to do differently?

_March 9th_

The teachers did their best to keep the students minds on work, however as the snow slowly melted and more and more detentions were racked up, their efforts were futile. Quidditch was more and more important as the House Teams started preparing for winning the title. Unfortunately, that meant James and Sirius spent more time as a duo than as a foursome. It might have been alright, had Peter not been left alone. He had been forsaken by even Remus, for a book and a red haired companion no less, and his marks reflected his state of mind. As they dipped at a particularly low low, so did Peter.

_March 20th…_

There was so much wrong with what Peter did:

'No Peter- we stir the cauldron counterclockwise!'

'Mister Pettigrew, it's a simple swish and flick motion!'

'Peter! Watch where you're going!'

'That's not how it works Peter!'

'Grow up _Pettigrew_!'

'Where are your table manners Pettigrew- were you raised with hippogriffs?'

The boys weren't there to stop the Slytherins from bullying him- and he had no one to back him up. He had been too focused on helping his friends, and proving himself to others, he didn't know how to for himself. It was then that he saw red… and not the scarlet he had come to love and associate with his friends, not the hair of Remus' friends, not even the food from the house elves- it was the red of anger. But that red, turned to grey (a distinct silver to be precise) and then black. However, it had a dangerous hur of green to it, and Peter realised that the Sorting Hat **did** make mistakes.

_April 14th_

Peter snuck quietly through the corridors, slowly making his way back to the Common Room. He didn't like going as close to the Slytherin dormitories as he had to to access the portrait of the fruit bowl, however it was a necessary evil. He had taken a quick detour after class to the kitchens, and was pleasantly surprised when he stumbled across a pair of embodied voices.

"What do you mean- not here? You were meant to be watching him!" He recognized the voice to be that of the lead Marauder, and his curiosity was dampened slightly at their lack of inclusion.

"Me?! I thought Remus was!"

"No- Remus was getting the decorations ready!" Decorations? He hadn't known the Marauders had remembered his birthday, and he scolded himself inwardly for his quick judgement. The boys (while albeit flawed) were thoughtful and had good intentions when it came to any Gryffindor, and his measly heart warmed at the thought of all the work which had apparently gone into this for him.

"No he wasn't you tosspot- that was my job!"

"No it was Remus' you dolt!"

"Oh yeah? What was **your** job?"

"It was my job to make sure **you** did **your** job!"

"So then, really this is all your fault, isn't it?"

"ARGH!"

The cloak fell off as the two black haired boys wrestled on the floor, completely oblivious to Peter. The boy in question blushed at the attention his friends had bestowed upon him, and quickly hid behind the nearest corner to peer at the boys. No matter what people said about Peter, he seriously cared for the boys. So he waited with anticipation, for the boys to 'surprise' him. They soon stopped their scuffle, and disappeared under the cloak once more. They talked with hushed whispers Peter couldn't hear, so he carefully made his way back to the corridor he had just left. He pretended that he was surprised when James appeared out of nowhere and demand that they go to the common room to 'woo my dearest Lily flower'. He feigned an embarrassed blush when all the Gryffindors cheered and patted the Marauder on the back. However he knew all along, and yet none was any wiser...but then again, when it came to Peter, there were always secrets.

_May 2nd… _

"So- what will you do over the summer?" James asked, one cool evening in May. The boys had snuck out again, and Peter was so pleased that they had included him for the first time in a while. He was part of the group- he deserved to be there too! However, Peter knew deep down that it wasn't true.

"Possibly visit Wilkins." Peter had replied offhandedly, attempting a cool facade whilst talking about friends.

"Pete,I'm serious." James had said, and it was only then when he realised his mistake. He couldn't be seen hanging out with a Slytherin! However it was true, he had convinced his parents that the muggle world was dangerous for him, and he was spending the summer with one of the oldest wizarding families.

"For the love of Merlin- I'm Sirius!" the heir replied with a theatrical sigh.

"Will you ever stop making that pun?" Remus asked hopefully.

"When it stops being funny, I might **consider **stopping…"

"Then you should have stopped after the first time- but I guess it's partly our fault… we should have laughed in the first place because it wasn't funny then either!" Peter was thankful for the boys distraction, but when James mentioned having them all stay at his place, he knew he needed to decide. One way or another, this summer would change his future. He was only thirteen, but he knew far too well what happened to wizards who crossed the Dark.

"Wish I could James, but my family wants me to be with them this year. Stuff about the wizarding world being too dangerous...maybe another time."

"Sure thing Pete! Anyways, back to what I was saying, the manor…"

**Author's Note: If anyone is interested, I might add more to this chapter whilst posting my fourth, but it's just to show how Peter is being forgotten... Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading.**

**Thanks to:**

**-****TheShulesLovinPsycho (My first reviewer for that chapter and suggested a song. As I mentioned, it will be done for the final chapter. You also Pmed me and were great to bounce ideas off of! So thanks!)**

**-PurebloodGirl (who PMed and reviewed. You are most welcome- and thank YOU! I'm glad you think so, I do work hard at these mini chapters!)**

**Just wondering how you think my story is so far. Please hit the little review button! It really does mean a lot! Tell me if you hate it. Tell me if you love it. But please also tell me why! Prompts and song suggestions are welcome! My first reviewer for this chapter will get to suggest my next song and if there's a character they'd like to see be the POV of! Thanks!**

**-ForensicGeek2-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Harry Potter world. I know- when I found out I was surprised too, but please don't have a heart attack.

_A/N: Weekends will be my new update days just to make it easier. Thanks for the wonderful feedback my dears! You can thank PurebloodGirl for the song this is loosely based on (Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson) __which I also don't own__. No flames yet! YAY! But they are accepted and used to roast marshmallows with ;P Thanks all! This was supposed to be posted ages ago, but I never got around to finishing the edits, but here it is- __with edits__!_

Lily Evans had always been the sensible type. She was the one you went to to ask what homework there was, she was the one you went to for advice, but she never actually had someone to ask anything of herself. But then she met Remus.

Remus was always there for her, and it only dawned on her in her fourth year how much support she had always received from the tawny-haired boy. He was the one she went to talk to when Potter was harassing her, he was the one she went to whenever Petunia spoke cruel words to, and most of all he was her closest friend. Sure she was close with Severus- they had known each other forever- but after the Sorting he never quite stood as close and wouldn't meet her as often until he slowly faded into more of a happy childhood friend. However their distance didn't mean she'd let Potter walk all over him! After Petunia had shunned her, she wasn't comfortable getting too close to others- after all, if her own sister hated her why shouldn't anyone else? That all changed when Remus walked into her life; all gangly arms and worn jumpers and books- she knew they would be friends.

She had seen him around the castle and the pair had exchanged pleasantries on numerous occasions, but that time she had seen him it has been different. The boys (or the Marauders as they preferred) were calling his name and searching for him on the Quidditch pitch one day after a particularly nasty Ravenclaw game. As the first years could only watch and learn, the Gryffindor boys had all been entranced. Of course stupid Potter made sure to mention his own broom and spout all sorts of things he already knew. What had surprised her the most was the way she noticed Remus always hiding from his other roommates. Why? She had figured out that he had a secret, and was hoping to figure out what that secret may be. Her questions had been answered in the form of her semi-friend Severus Snape. She had known him to be different, just she had never thought he'd be _that_ different. She found it didn't matter to her whatsoever, that she still cared for him, and when Severus declared it an unwise idea to remain 'so closely intertwined with that half breed', she had simply laughed in his face. Sure Remus had a little problem, but that didn't mean he'd ever hurt her! She remembered him getting detention for pushing a Slytherin who had teased her about her blood status for Merlin's sake! He was different, but that day after Charms she decided it was a good different.

That perspective of him didn't change, but almost everything at the end of her summer did. Third year could not come soon enough, and she shivered in dismay, recalling all the foul names her sister had called her. Her best friend, her life-long playmate, her Tuney- all gone. That little girl who'd read to her at night was one consumed with something, and as an adult Lily had often found herself wondering what that might be. She found it to be jealousy.

She also found Remus, often seeking him out despite the walk. She had been so used to feeling happy at Hogwarts, that whenever Tuney said something to her, it hurt so much more. Whilst at Hogwarts she mostly forgot about that particular problem, yet the numb feeling that faded into pain. It resembled strongly placing an ice pack on a sore, only to get the pain as soon as the wound defrosted. She knew deep down that her older sister's heart would always remain cold.

When Lily saw Remus for the first time coming back to fourth year, she was stunned. She knew him to be thin and because of his condition, she often found him tired and sore, but never to this extent. He was exhausted, and the sheer size of the bags that hung under his eyes hurt hers just looking at them. But she knew to expect another amazing year of friendship and companionship with the quiet werewolf. He had loosened up considerably, but maybe this year they'd spend more time together...

Lily had been right. One cold October evening, she had awaken from a nightmare about her sister and garden gnomes which had dissuaded the idea of sleeping further. She crept silently down to the Common Room, knowing that sleep wouldn't find her again. A quick glance at the clock read it to be far too early for even the earliest of risers, and she sighed contently; it was as though the Common Room knew what she needed. Either that or Remus **never** slept. He let her tell him all of her worries and some, and she loved every second of the cryptic words and puzzling glances. They were tight, and that's what made her hate Potter even more. Magic had stolen Petunia from her, and now Potter, Black and Pettigrew were trying to take Remus from her. Of course he always made time for her and never kept her waiting, but it annoyed her to no end that Potter was changing his behavior. But Remus was under the aegis of the other Marauders, and she found them being more careful about their behavior when the full moon was approaching. Thought she'd never even contemplate thinking about it had she known it was a certain James Potter's idea, she appreciated that the Marauders were taking it easy on him.

_November..._

What Remus made her feel was something she hadn't felt in a long time- she felt like she had a sibling. He was so kind and compassionate, even listening to her dumb problems when she knew nothing that she ever faced could be quite as bad as what he faced on a monthly bases. So that full moon she sat and cried quietly for her brother. She knew Remus was such a kind, sweet, studious boy, and it pained her to hear screams of pain turn to howls of anguish, the night air filled with wimpers. Surprisingly, she saw the other Marauders looked particularly worse for wear, as though they hadn't slept either. But that didn't stop Potter from sauntering up during Potions and asking, "My dearest Evans, will you go out with me?"

And it most certainly didn't stop her from sending a particularly nasty boil hex his way.

"If you **honestly** thought I'd ever say 'yes' to **you**, then obviously you are more stupid than I had thought possible."

"Awwww, did the princess wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?"

"Sod off."

"Does she need her Prince to carry her to classes?"

"Actually I think I do- have you seen Remus yet today?"

He dramatically placed his hand over his heart, "Right here, my love, you hurt me right here!" With that, he returned to his station moments before Black exploded his third cauldron of the week...it had been Wednesday.

_November 27th..._

"Oh my dearest Lily-pad," Potter had cornered her one day after class, "when I saw you in the Common Room this morning, I said to myself, that girl will clean up nicely if one ever did, and so you have! You look ravishing as usual!" Lily could hardly speak, rage boiling up inside of her, however Remus overheard.

"It's the last day of classes before the holidays, leave Lils alone today, yeah?"

Jame- Potter only laughed. "You're no gentleman! What girl doesn't like to be told that she looks stunning?" He peered at Remus after sending a saucy wink her way. "I suppose you turn a head or two yourself, don't you?" Somehow, the quiet bookworm had become a boisterous boy.

"A few more than you I'd wager!" Remus had teased back. She had never seen him look quite so carefree and happy as he did with the Marauders, and she had to admit begrudgingly that Potter **did** treat him like a brother. Remus had probably told the boys about his condition ages ago, and it suddenly made sense as to why he'd be more open to them than her- because he knew the boys would accept him for that. She'd just have to prove to him that she did too…

"James, when you're finished trying to charm the owls from the rafters, I'd like to get to class. And later, you can be sure that we will have words-"

"-to ask me to take Lily to Hogsmeade this weekend. I'd be happy to! I'm sure she'd be too, after all, it's common knowledge that she fancies me."

"James Potter, I don't fancy you! What on earth made you think that I would go to Hogsmeade with you?!" Lily had butted in furiously.

"Sure you don't, love. Keep telling yourself that, my dearest Lily-pad. Come on- I know you're trying your best not to swoon. It's okay if you do, I won't tell." Every second that aggravating git continued to whip up little jokes and tease her even more, she filed it away and kept tally. So how many spells should she fire for this encounter? Seven? Is that enough?

"Can you stop doing that?!" She decided to ask, instead of hexing all of his fingers and toes to shrivel up.

"Doing what? Being honest? Why, pray tell, should I?"

"'Being honest'? '**Being honest**'?! Let's see- perhap because if you don't stop then you may find that you'll wake up in the morning missing a leg or another body part!"

"Ouch! Lils, I'm not sure if that's gonna be worse for me or you, if you know what I mean." He just couldn't stop, could he? Neither particularly noticed Remus leave for Herbology with a slight shake of the head and downcast eyes. She had forgotten their quiet audience, so caught up in her banter, and so infuriated. However Potter did have a knack for capturing attention- or so she had been told...

_December 31..._

Lily swayed quietly to the music blaring in the Common Room. The party was loud and boisterous but she didn't trust her House-mates to take action if anything unfortunate were to happen, so that's how Lily found herself spending New Year babysitting Gryffindors of all ages. She almost fainted when the Marauders brought out Butterbeer- and it was worse because Potter had thought she had been swooning for _him_! To be fair, he had been carrying the box, but that only added to her enjoyment as she jinxed the bottle closest to his face shower him with the sticky liquid.

"In the mood for some Butterbeer Evans? I think I have a few drops here…" he had told her, gesturing to his cheek.

"Not in your life!" She had exclaimed, as a timing spell was activated. The whole Common Room was filled with cheers (despite there being only twenty-some Gryffindors staying for the holidays) as the countdown commenced. Before she knew what was happening, the wall she had been leaning against turned into a wall she was trapped against. Strong arms held her waist and her eyes met a pair of hazel ones.

"Be one of us tonight, Lils," he had whispered in her ear, "have some fun.."

"Lily...happy New Year." he breathed as the countdown finished, and he bent his neck low. His lips pressed against her own, and she found her eyes closing in bliss. Wait- what? She shoved Potter off as quickly as she could, hoping he didn't notice the heat rising in her cheeks. The smirk on her face told her he had.

"You're... you're... you're a git!" she finally exclaimed, when words to express her thoughts finally found her.

"_A git_? Here I was hoping for something a little more...creative!"

"I can't **believe** you did that! Have you no respect? Do you think you can just walk up, mess up your hair and have all the girls falling at your feet? Because I'm here to tell you-"

"Why are you mad? I think that was a bloody good kiss! And why are you being so moody?"

"Excuse me for not being particularly excited about being _shoved against a wall and kissed against my will!_"

"Well in my defense, it wasn't exactly against your will. When one person kisses another person, and that other person kisses back, usually it means they both like each other."

"You insolent little prick!"

"What did I do to induce the fiery wrath of Lily Evans again?" She had left angrily, her cheeks burning and collapsed on her bed with a sigh. If kissing Potter was the last thing she had wanted to do, then sweet Merlin why had it felt so good?

_January 5th..._

When school started again, she realised how much she had missed Remus. He had gone back to his home for Christmas, but Lily's sixteen year old sister was having her new boyfriend and didn't want 'the freak' to scare him off. She had almost forgotten how nice it was to have a **real** sibling, but when Remus helped her study for Ancient Runes or she helped him with his Potions, she knew that Petunia might've been doing that had she been normal. And that thought hurt, but it also made her smile; after all, for her and Remus, Hogwarts was normal.

_January 30th..._

"Lily!" Remus had exclaimed surprised! "What on earth are you doing here?"

"See, I find seeing the white walls and people in pain really lifts my spirits...why do you think I'm here? I'm visiting you of course!"

"Oh-um-well, that was very nice of you Lils, but it's your birthday! Go find James, I'm sure he's written a song for you! I just wish I could be there for the party.." he had stammered, blushing brilliantly. She had laughed and proceeded to tell him her thoughts on James' song from earlier that morning, as well as all about their projects and listed all the assignments that were due, and only left at Madame Pomfrey's insistence that she couldn't leave 'those ghastly boys to their own devices- and you should be getting to class!' and that they were the only two who had an control over them. Remus had laughed until he winched painfully, grasping his side. Madame Pomfrey must've seen the turmoil cross Lily's face because she returned from her office moments later with a letter excusing her from first period. As Madame Pomfrey ushered Lily away from Remus and to her next class, she felt her heart break a little at the crestfallen expression on his face, but that expression was gone so fast that Lily thought she might've imagined it. Lily couldn't concentrate on her Charms whatsoever, too focused on why Remus hadn't left his features the way they were- was he ashamed that he was sad when she left? Or was it something else? Years later, she knew he had steeled his features because he felt guilty about being sad. Years later, she would hold him in her arms and freely let the tears run down her face as she told him how much she cared. But that Remus had needed it then, and no amount of later was going to change that.

That night, her House-mates had thrown a wonderful party for her, with cake and music and Butterbeer and all sorts of festivities, before singing the muggle version of Happy Birthday. She had been showered with gifts and cheer yet she felt this slight hole where her sister used to be. So when no one was looking, she had snuck out to the Hospital Wing. It was well after hours, and she knew if she was caught she'd get a detention, but she still found herself sneaking through the shadows to the secluded part of the wing and settled down in a nearby chair.

"Lils?" a sleepy voice had asked.

"Hey Remus. I brought you some cake- don't tell Pomfrey!" he had chuckled slightly, before accepting the

piece in her outstretched hand.

"Lils, why aren't you at the party?"

"Oh- well, it got a little rowdy with those boys of yours and then McGonagall came and busted us. So the party left with the Butterbeer and Firewhiskey."

Remus had studied her intently.

"I think you have a little bit of Slytherin in you, my dear." She laughed, but remembering there were other patients she stifled it as best as she could.

"Fine- is it wrong I want to spend my birthday with my best friend?" She knew she had said the right thing as he beamed up at her, all happiness and smiles.

"Lils, I have your present." He told her. She raised one eyebrow quizzically, yet it fell to it's normal position as he pulled out a small box from the bedside table beside his bed.

"Open it…" he had whispered. Inside was small black notepad, nothing too extraordinary, yet she eagerly opened it to flip through the pages. The pages were filled with little incantations and snippets of informations, before Lily laughed out-loud when she glanced at the title on the top of the page.

"One Hundred and One Ways to Deal With James Potter?" he nodded solemnly.

"Spells, incantations, things to use for blackmail- it's all there. Do you like it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Like it? Remus, I quite firmly believe that I can now successfully stay at Hogwarts for the next three years without getting suspended or put into Azkaban for murder!" the sound of Remus laughing though, that was what really made her day; not the wonderful party or gifts or attention, but spending it with a real friend.

"Thank you Remus, thank you."

**A/N: So there it was- our precious Lily flower has graced us with her presence! If anyone is interested, I'm writing a series of drabbles that take place in the Hogwarts Library, so please check that out too! Special thanks to:**

**PurebloodGirl: (who kindly reviewed)**

**Thank you my dear! You always review, after every chapter, and have such great ideas, so thank you! This song was perfect for Lily, and thank you so much for PMing me your amazing ideas! I'm glad you liked Peter's pov, I was trying to show that while he isn't a good person, he wasn't always bad at the start. At one point, he was like a brother, so I hope I showed that.**

**EmresPendragon: (who reviewed, favorited, and followed)**

**Thank you! I hope you liked what I came up with, and I'm glad you really liked it! I struggled to add as much depth as I could to Lily with less words because I've been told sometimes it's too long which is a slight turnoff for people, so please tell me what you think!**

**alliegrl: (who also kindly reviewed)**

**Thanks for coming over to our little neck or the woods, and first review is for me?! I feel so honored! I'm so glad you agree, I was really trying to show a more honest side to our characters which wasn't always shown. So many ff have portrayed their flaws as either so prominent it's comical, or they don't have any which is equally hilarious. So I hope I've struck a balance. Thank you so much!**

**Once again, first reviewer of this chapter gets to pick a song or pov or both! Thanks for reading. This story has gotten much love- 10 reviews, 4 follows, 4 favourites, 143 views- so thank you all!**

**-ForensicGeek2-**


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